Any point in using separate windows partition?

[DJFuji]

Is there any point in separating windows from application install data on the same drive? I've traditionally split it so that reinstalls are easier (just format the windows drive) but with the rapidly expanding size of windows, i dont know if it's worth it anymore.

 

[mugs]

I re-install all of my applications whenever I re-install Windows anyway. Is it a good idea to reinstall Windows without re-installing the applications? Doesn't seem like it to me.

I know some people have one partition for windows + applications and one partition for documents and whatnot, but I don't bother with that. My boot drive is my smallest drive (120 GB), when I need to reinstall I just copy everything to one of my other drives.

 

[dderolph]

I don't see what the expanding size of Windows has to do with this. Regardless of how much disk space Windows consumes, a separate partition for your data files continues to provide the benefit you just mentioned.

Edit: I see mugs and I interpreted your post differently. mugs refers to applications, or program files; I refer to user data files. Most applications would need to be reinstalled anyway to get Windows registry properly updated. But, keeping your MS Office files, photos, music, etc., on a separate partition provides some protection against loss of them in the event Windows must be reinstalled.

 

[DJFuji]

Yeah you have to reinstall your apps but if you keep your apps on a separate drive you dont have to worry about trying to go thru and save config files or anything. Like you can just wipe the windows drive and delete the apps folder as you install them. It also keeps a running list of what apps you have to install. The last thing i want to do is forget to save my counter strike config file (since you cant exactly store that in mydocuments) and wipe the drive.

Windows keeps getting bigger though so you have to plan in advance when you partition. I used to partition 10 gigs for XP and over the last few years i've been running out of room. WIth vista i'd need to set aside like 50 gigs for the OS and even then im not sure if it'd be enough in 3 years.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

I keep my OS + applications on 1 partition, and then pure data files (i.e. documents and multimedia content) on several other partitions. You should also look into creating a backup image of your OS + applications partition so that reinstalls are easier. You can basically reinstall your OS and all your applications including hardware drivers in 1 fell swoop by rewriting the disc image to that partition.

 

[kingtas]

I always keep two seperate hard drives on my PCs. I use the second HD to back up my files that are on my first HD. Partitioning one drive isn't going to help you much when the disk fails.

 

[DJFuji]

Yeah i have backups on separate drives. I actually have 6 different drives in my box. Partitioning isnt designed to protect against failure...it's designed to make it easier to wipe an OS drive.

I decided the benefits weren't worth the drawbacks to partitioning my OS separately. After i'm done installing windows i'll just ghost the drive. Ghost doesnt care how big the drive is anyway...it just saves the data on it so i wouldnt even be saving room by partition the OS separately. True, i'll have to then move over all my non OS files to another drive when i re-ghost, but that's not that big a deal. Running out of room on the OS drive because you didn't anticipate windows vista taking up 60 gigs 3 years from now is a much bigger problem.

 

[manly]

Originally posted by: DJFuji
Is there any point in separating windows from application install data on the same drive? I've traditionally split it so that reinstalls are easier (just format the windows drive) but with the rapidly expanding size of windows, i dont know if it's worth it anymore.

As mugs said, that doesn't make a heck of a lot of sense.

 

[engineereeyore]

I've always separated Windows from everything else on my drive. The main reason is just that the most likely thing to crash is windows, at least IMO, so I can backup a small 10-20G partition really easily and quickly. This if something goes wrong, I can just restore my Windows partition from the backup and continue on. System restore may take care of this, but I don't trust it and always turn it off. That's my justification. Personal experience makes me believe it runs faster, but I have nothing to support that and could be completely wrong, but it sure seems to.

 

[Kaervak]

Originally posted by: Garth
I keep my OS + applications on 1 partition, and then pure data files (i.e. documents and multimedia content) on several other partitions. You should also look into creating a backup image of your OS + applications partition so that reinstalls are easier. You can basically reinstall your OS and all your applications including hardware drivers in 1 fell swoop by rewriting the disc image to that partition.

I've just started to do the same in regards to the image option. I use a program called Drivesnapshot to make/restore the image. It's not free, you can use it to make images for thirty days but after that you have to pay for it. You can however restore that image any time after those thirty days. As far as splitting my OS and apps into different partitions, I don't. I do however put my OS & Apps on one partition and all my data on another partition. Mainly for organization purposes.

 

[Beev]

I have a main hard drive where all my stuff actually gets installed, like Windows, my games, Office, etc., and then I have a secondary 500gb hard drive where anything I need to store goes (video files, zips, backups, etc.).

 

[BFG10K]

I have three partitions: Windows, games and apps/data. I can reinstall Windows at any time without touching any of the other partitions.

 

[John]

BFG, after you install Windows don't you have to touch the other two partitions to reinstall the games/apps?

 

[AnMig]

I used to separate Windows from aps but has since merged them together. Most of the non-gaming aps/software are small anyway.

C: windows xp with non-gaming software/aps (word, photo shop, nero ect)
D: Games
E: Storage (pics/videos/drivers/porn ect)

reason for separating windows from the games is that the C: drive is smaller and easier to IMAGE during backups.

 

[eelw]

With more and more apps being portable, you really only need to reinstall the OS, not the majority of the programs.

 

[BFG10K]

BFG, after you install Windows don't you have to touch the other two partitions to reinstall the games/apps?

Some apps like Office need to be installed again but I don't have to reinstall any games. :thumbsup: